2017 Reading Challenge

If you want to see the updated list with all of the books I've read thus far, click here!

Mike's sister, Kelly, is doing the Popsugar reading challenge for 2017, which had 40 books to read in 2017.  I really liked the challenge, but the more I thought about it, 40 books was seeming a little daunting, so I set a goal of 30 books this year, which is definitely doable.  I know I could read more if I really pushed myself, but I'm not sure what life will look like after the baby arrives, so I wanted to allow a little wiggle room.  I found this reading challenge which has 26 books, so I have room for 4 extras that I just want to read for fun. Sounds like just the right fit for me!  I've tried to kind of plan out what books to read for each challenge, based on books that have been on my to-read list or books that have been recommended to me.

The 26-book 2017 reading challenge

1. A book you read in school Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
2. A book from your childhood Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling
3. A book published in the last year The Food of Love by Amanda Prowse
4. A non-fiction book The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector's Story by Hyeonseo Lee 
5. A book written by a male author Learn Me Good by John Pearson
6. A book written by a female author Glory over Everything: Beyond the Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom (I loved The Kitchen House so I'm excited for this one!)
7. A book by someone who isn’t a writer (think Paul Kalathani or Richard Branson)
8. A book that became/is becoming a film: I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson (January)
9. A book published in the 20th Century The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald (I was supposed to read this in high school and couldn't get into it, but I want to give it a second chance because everyone raves about it)
10. A book with a number in the title  The Two-Family House by Lynda Cohen Loigman 
11. A book you can finish in a day For the Love by Jen Hatmaker (January)- It took me two days, but it's definitely doable in a day.  It's short, easy to read and she's funny at times.  It was definitely out of my comfort zone and sometimes got a little too preach-y for my taste, but a good, quick read. 
12. A previously banned book Catcher and the Rye by JD Salinger
13. A memoir or journal 32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny by Phillip Done
14. A book set somewhere you’ll be visiting this year TBD
15. An award-winning book The Color Purple by Alice Walker
16. A self-published book
17. A book published over 100 years ago
18. A book written by someone younger than you
19. A book with a one-word title
20. A book translated from another language
21. A book that will improve a specific area of your life
22. A book with a character with your first name
23. A book someone else recommended to you
24. A book with over 500 pages
25. A book set in your hometown/region
26. A book with someone’s name in the title

If you have any suggestions, especially for the ones that I don't have books for, let me know! I would love to hear from you!

How to Survive Hours in the Car

We've been doing a lot of driving this summer.  The second half of the year we were in Turkey, we couldn't drive within the country due to restrictions, and since we were on the coast, that meant that to travel, we had to fly.  I love flying and it's become second nature to us after this year, but driving definitely has it's benefits.  You can really see the landscape and the culture of the country you are traveling in.  Last summer (2015), before all of the chaos in Turkey, we were lucky enough to drive down the southern coast of our new home country and man oh man was it beautiful.  Both Mike and I remarked at how similar it was to the drive along the coast of California.  Plus, driving allows you to stop and check out places along your route.  I'll never forget seeing signs on that drive in Turkey that advertised all sorts of different foods.  We must have seen a different sign advertising a different food every kilometer.  We were so excited and hungry by the time we arrived, only to find out that the foods they were advertising were variations of kofte (Turkish version of a meatball).  While we were a little disappointed, we embraced it as the full Turkish experience.  I'm sure in Germany, you could replace kofte with sausage and have a very similar experience.  We've learned a thing or two in all of our driving trips and now feel just as comfortable driving as we do flying.

1.  GPS. In order for our marriage to survive, we need a GPS.  It was the best Black Friday purchase we ever made.  The number of arguments and tears have drastically decreased since that purchase.  
2. Snacks.  I'm all about snacks and I usually put myself in charge of that department.  There is nothing worse than being stuck in the car and being hungry.  Plus, if you're like me and get motion sick, being hungry just exasterbates the problem. One time when we were driving to Istanbul last summer, we discovered that there is NOTHING between Izmir and Istanbul.  I mean nothing.  I longed for the McDonald's at every exit that we have in the United States.  That's just not a thing in Turkey (probably because having a car and traveling is such a luxury).  After that miserable experience, I swore to never drive anywhere without snacks.  I try to make them relatively healthy, but sometimes I'm guilty of baking a loaf of banana chocolate chip bread.  Judge away, but it's so good. 
3. Water.  I'm pretty cautious about this one.  I have the worlds smallest bladder and if I drink ANYTHING, I'll have to stop for the bathroom.  Therefore, I don't normally bring water unless I know we're in for a really long haul.  I just plan to drink a TON when we arrive at our destination. That being said, Mike almost always asks for water or something to drink, so we usually have something in the car. 
4. Comfortable clothes.  If I'm going to be sitting in a car for hours on end, I'm going to be comfortable.  It's the same for flying.  I always have shoes that I can take off and slip back on easily when we stop for lunch or a bathroom break.  I also try to wear layers.  Mike is a lover of the AC and I am not. Therefore, it may be 85 degrees outside, but you better believe I'll have my cardigan.  Judge away. Last, I try to wear looser clothes.  I don't wear my tighter jeans or more fitted shirts because that's just not comfortable. Loose and flowy always win.  If we're going to a beach or somewhere super casual, I'm usually just in gym shorts and a tshirt. I try to look somewhat presentable when we roll up to our hotel, but I'm always trying to find that happy medium of comfortable and presentable. 
5. Entertainment.  Mike is almost always the driver, which means he gets to pick the entertainment.  It's only fair.  Plus, I'm usually napping (those Russo genes!), so it's more important for him to enjoy what's playing.   We have the necessary cords to play our music from our phones, but that either requires having a lot of playlists on your phone (more music = more storage), or you have to use data (more data = more money), neither of which are ideal.  While we have been known to rock out to Backstreet Boys and 'NSYNC for a decent amount of a road trip, I can only listen to the "I love the 90s" playlist so many times. Once we realized that we'd be able to drive to  a lot of our destinations,we started to reevaluate our entertainment situation and decided to try books on tape. We downloaded the Audible app and got the three month free trial.  Along with that, you get a free book download a month, so three free books.  We had so much fun listening to our first three months worth of books, that we decided to continue our subscription to Audible, at least for the year we're in Germany.   We still get our free book download a month and, as long as the book is worth more than $15, we've earned back our monthly fee.  It's been a great distraction on days when we've had a long drive or the scenery stays the same.  Plus, we've definitely had a time or two where we've gotten to our hotel and then stayed in to finish the chapter or book. Our biggest hurdle is finding a book that we both will enjoy.  Mike is a big sci fi/ fantasy reader, while I'm more of a coming of age or mystery fan.  The easiest compromise is historical fiction.  We've done a few WWII books and are now trying to branch out and find some that are more relevant to Turkish/Ottoman history (if you have any recommendations, send them our way!) What books have we listened to?

• Modern Romance: An Investigation by Aziz Ansari.   This was our first audiobook and we weren't sure what to expect.  It's nonfiction and narrated by the amazing Aziz himself.  That was probably the best part.  The study that he conducted on modern romance around the world is fascinating and he proves himself much more than just a comedian.  We both enjoyed it, although I thought it was a little bit slow at times.  It combined my undergraduate major in Communications with Mike's love for quantitative data, so it was a perfect combination for us. 
• Boys on the Boat written by Daniel James Brown and narrated by Edward Hermann.  This was probably my favorite book that we've listened to so far.  It takes place in the years leading up to the 1936 Olympics and is about the boys that make up the crew team that represents the United States in Hitler Germany.  It was perfect to listen to while the 2016 Olympics were taking place and I definitely found myself more interested in rowing after listening.
• The Martian written by Andy Weir and narrated by R.C. Bray.  I was a little hesitant about this one since it's science fiction, but the fact that they made a movie out of it meant that I should be able to follow along and enjoy it.  I was right.  We both got into this book and found ourselves hanging on to every word the narrator said (although I did wish it was Matt Damon narrating).  Towards the end, it got a little long/technical in my book, but that didn't end up being a huge deal and I was still able to follow along. I definitely want to watch the movie after listening to the book. 
• The Book Thief written by Markus Zusak and narrated by Allan Corduner.  This was another historical fiction novel that we both really enjoyed.   It had been on my to-read list for a while, especially after they made a movie out of it, so I was excited to listen to it.   Again, we both really enjoyed it, although I think me a little bit more than Mike.  It was another great perspective into Nazi Germany and Europe at that time.    We finished it after our less-than-stellar day in Wiesbaden and then ending just crushed both of us.  We just drove in silence for what seemed like forever while I frantically looked for an upbeat podcast or something to kill our last couple of hours.  That being said, it was a wonderfully written book and both Mike and I found ourselves close to/in tears at different points in the book.  I'd watch the movie, but I don't think my emotions can handle it.

Next on our list is The Girl with all the Gifts by Mike Carey.  It's definitely right up Mike's alley of distopian fiction, but I'm willing to give it a try.  Although, that means I get to pick the next book ;)  We're hoping to find a Turkish historical fiction book, but we're not having quite as much luck as we are with WWII.  We'll keep looking....

Do you guys have any books/audiobooks that you think we'd enjoy? Any tips for making a road trip great?  Let's hear 'em!

Book Review: Year of Yes

Growing up, we had a rule in our house that each child was only allowed to watch one television show during the school week.  This was before the days of DVR and watching shows online, so if you didn't watch it during prime time, you didn't watch it.  This meant that I had to choose my one show VERY carefully.

Sometime during my junior year of high school, that one show became Grey's Anatomy.  I fondly remember countless number of Grey's parties where my friends and I would gather at each other's house to watch the latest episode. Somewhere along the lines, I stopped watching Grey's, but my appreciation for the writing and creativity never faded.  Fast forward a few years and I've graduated from the one television show a week and am hooked on Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder (I know, lovely sounding shows).

There are a lot of similar characteristics between these three shows, but the main one being the mastermind behind them.  Her name is Shonda Rhimes and she's quickly rising to the ranks of Beyonce in my mind. The Year of Yes is her story of her decision to say yes to all things that make her uncomfortable. She spent a year doing all of those things that made her feel "squishy" (shoutout to City Year!) inside and the Year of Yes is all about that year and the change she underwent.

I loved this book for so many reasons. First, her writing is incredible, which should come as no surprise to anyone who has watched even an episode of her shows. The woman has a way with words. Her writing was on fleek as the children say these days, but really, it was her willingness to be vulnerable that had me turning every page. There were so many times where I just wanted to shout "YAAAASSS!!!" to the feelings she was describing.   She had my introverted self cringing at the thought of going to a big party or giving a speech, just as she did before the year of yes.

Throughout the book, she explores different areas of her life where she began to say yes to challenging things, from her social life to her family to her health.  She began to say yes to going to parties and giving speeches, she said yes to play time with her children and she even said yes to putting down the cake and working out (she lost over 100 pounds!!).

I did feel that some of the things she did and said yes to were only possible because of who she was and her income, which most people don't have.  For example, she hired a personal trainer and had a full time nanny, both of which cost a significant amount of money.  That being said, there are ways to get around that, but it definitely was easier for her because she could afford a lot of things the average person (and definitely single mom) could not.

Overall, I felt like this was such a girl power book and I loved it.  The admiration I have for Shonda Rhimes definitely grew as I was reading this book.  Throughout the year, she herself out of her comfort zone and by the end felt so empowered to do things she wouldn't have even thought possible before.  While I definitely haven't committed to a year of yes myself, I feel like there was so much I could sympathize with after these past seven months.

Do you have any autobiographies/memoirs that you enjoyed?  Why did you like them?

Book Review: Room

We were supposed to go watch Camel Wrestling today.  Yup, don't reread that sentence again.  You read it correctly the first time.  Camel Wresting.  Apparently it's some ancient mating tradition for camels in Turkey.  I don't really know. I was more along for the ride and for the selfies I was going to take.  Unfortunately, due to the torrential rain we're having here, it was cancelled.  After that disappointment, we went out to lunch where it took them a half hour to give us our check because the rain was messing with their computer systems.  

On a rainy day, one of my favorite things to do is curl up with a book and read.  As long as I can remember, I've been a reader. I had the highest points in my first grade class in Accelerated Reader (until Andy Johnson moved across the street and gave me a run for my money, but even then, I think I still beat him) and read every single Baby-Sitter's Club book ever published. I love finding that book that you are completely engrossed in, that requires all of your will-power to put down, and that has you talking about it for days and weeks afterwards.

Room by Emma Donoghue was one of those books.  Room had been on my to-read list for a while, but I had put it off because it sounded creepy.  I mean, it's about a woman who is held captive and has a baby with a her captor.  Creepy, right?

Except that it's not.  It's told from the perspective of the little boy who loves Room.  It's all he knows and affectionately refers to everything by name (ex. Lamp, Rug, TV).  The only thing he doesn't like is Old Nick, who is named that because he heard that sometimes an old man named Nick comes to children's houses in the middle of the night.  How innocent, right?

Throughout the book, I found myself not only rooting and praying for their escape, but also fascinated with what life would be like if I only knew one room.  Shoes would feel really heavy, walking up and down stairs would be scary and my body wouldn't be equipped to deal with things like every day germs. Fascinating, right?

They've made a movie based on the book and I'm anxiously awaiting it's arrival in Turkey (probably via Amazon).  I always have low expectations for movies based off books because there are some things you just can't portray as well, but this movie is nominated for awards.  Big awards, like Best Picture, Best Actress and Best Director.  So, my expectations have been raised a little bit.

I still don't think it will be as good as the book, purely because the book was just that good. It was a requires-all-of-my-willpower-to-put-down, can't-stop-talking-about-it book. It was a great way to start off the year reading-wise.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, I'm reading Year of Yes by the great Shonda Rhimes and it's another requires-all-of-my-willpower-to-put-down, can't-stop-talking-about-it book.

Five Favorites

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/14560011/?claim=fe5acpsvdgq">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

After yesterday's post, I figured we all needed something a little more upbeat and lighthearted, so I'm linking up again with the Big White Farmhouse for Five Favorites!  This week, I was thinking about my five favorite books I read in 2015.  My goal was to read 15 books in 2015 and I easily did that.  This year, I upped my game and am always looking for book recommendations, so if you have them, send them my way.  I'm about to start the "Year of Yes" by the one and only Shonda Rhimes.

1. To Kill a Mockingbird

It's not a surprise that this is on my list, as it's probably my all-time favorite book and I have a cat named after the main character.  I read this book for the first time in 8th grade and I remember sympathizing so much with Scout and her views on her world.  Since then, I've read it so many times I've lost count, but I knew I had to reread it this year with the release of Go Set a Watchman.  Every time I read it, I find something else to love about the plot, the characters or the writing. This time, it was the quote 

“Atticus, he was real nice."

"Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them.”

-To Kill a Mockingbird

2. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

After reading this book, I was ready to hike the Pacific Coast Trail.  I honestly thought I could do it....and then I did a four hour hike in Turkey and quickly realized otherwise.  I was amazed at how engaging and page-turning this book was, despite the fact that it's about a woman hiking by herself.  I admire Cheryl's ability to hike and her courage to do it by herself, especially with little experience. Girl power for sure!  I'm waiting for Amazon to put this movie on their rentable list because I definitely want to watch!

3. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

I had so many people recommend this one to me and I kept putting it off because I'm not a huge historical fiction fan, but there is a reason this book is so popular.  Told from the perspective of two people, a German teenager raised in an orphanage who joins the Nazi army and a blind girl living in France during WWII, this book had me reading late into the night and early in the morning wanting to find out what would happen next.  It was long, but worth the number of pages the author took to tell this story.  

4. Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Another one of the books that was made into a movie! My mom recommended this to me and it was fascinating.  I'm lucky that no one in my family has experienced any sort of Alzheimer's/dementia, but this book had me in tears as I "watched" Alice slip away.   The movie is almost as good as the book, but the author's ability to describe the emotions of the family and of Alice was incredible. 

5. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

I've been telling Mike he should read this book because it's SO FREAKING GOOD!  I actually don't remember if I read this at the end of 2014 or the beginning of 2015, but it's so good I knew I wanted it to be on there.  It's another long one, but worth the time investment. The story starts out with a young boy and his mother who are at an art museum when a terrorist attack happens.  His mother is killed and he ends up stealing a piece of art.  Throughout the novel, the boy experiences many different life changes, all while holding the piece of art in secret.  Go. Read.

My question for you is...what books are you reading?  What was your favorite you read last year? What should I add to my reading list?

Seven Quick Takes

Linking up with This Ain't the Lyceum for Seven Quick Takes about this week.  We haven't done a ton, but there are lots of little random things that have been going on, so here's the run down of our week.

1.  Mike basically had the week off, so he was home all day every day (except Monday).  One of his professors was at a conference and his other class fell on Republic Day, plus his Turkish classes were between sessions, so he only had one class Monday morning. I think he enjoyed having a lot of time to lounge around, since he's usually running around for most of the day.

2. It was Republic Day yesterday, so both Mike and I had the day off.  We didn't do much to celebrate, but we were able to watch all of the festivities from our balcony, which was fun.  There were at least five different people selling Turkish flags and at least half of the people walking around had on Turkish flag tshirts.   It reminded me a lot of 4th of July in the United States, minus the hot dogs. Mike celebrated by wearing American flag shorts. As if we didn't stand out enough already.....

Flags on flags on flags! 

I don't know if you can see, but there was like a full on drum corps out there 

3. Probably the most exciting part of this whole week was....WE HUNG OUT WITH FRIENDS! Mike has a guy from his class (Murat) who is also playing football with him and we went out with Murat and his girlfriend.  Guys, this was so exciting! It's like the first interaction with potential friends since we've moved here!  Murat's parents are Turkish but he grew up in Holland, so he's new to Turkey, just like us.  His girlfriend is from Albania, but moved to Belgium in the early 2000s.  They both go to Yashar with Mike and were really nice.

4. My classes this week were a lot of fun.  We talked a lot about Halloween, trick or treating and superstitions, as well as the elections in both Turkey (which is this Sunday!) and the United States.  It was pretty interesting to hear the different superstitions of Turkey.

5.  I finished my book that I was reading and am kind of glad it's over.  I saw "The Last Train to Istanbul" displayed in a bunch of gift shops in Istanbul and decided to read it.  The history about Turkey's role in World War II was interesting, but the plot wasn't the best.   It wasn't terrible, but not going to be on my must read list.

6. Oh, the time change.  It's got everyone in Turkey confused.  Usually, Turkey changes clocks with Europe, which was last weekend, but "because of the election" (don't ask me what time changes have to do with elections), we aren't changing clocks until November 8th.  So, for two weeks, we're an hour ahead of Europe and for one week we'll be eight hours ahead of the United States. Plus, a lot of cell phones and computers changed times with Europe, so everyone is confused.

7.  It's started to really feel like fall and I am LOVING it!! It's been in the 70s during the day and 50s at night.  We've finally stopped sleeping with the air conditioning on and my feet keep getting cold because I forget to put socks on in the morning.  After the 100 degree weather of this summer, it's a refreshing change.  I'm curious to see what the winter weather will be like and when things will start to get even colder.

I think that's all that we've really been up to this week.  Nothing too exciting, but next week will be back to normal for Mike and I'll finally start Turkish lessons, so we'll be busy busy!!  Happy Halloween!